PuraFlame Alice 60" Electric Fireplace Review: a clean, modern fake fire that actually looks pretty real

I’ve been using the PuraFlame Alice 60-inch recessed electric fireplace for a while now in my living room, built into a 2x6 interior wall under the TV. I wanted something that looks like a real built-in fireplace without dealing with gas lines or wood, and this one kept popping up with good reviews. So I figured I’d take the risk and see if it actually looks decent in person or if it screams “cheap hotel lobby.”

In day-to-day use, it feels like a pretty solid mid-range unit. It’s not luxury, but it doesn’t look bargain-bin either. The flames are obviously fake if you stare at them, but from a normal seating distance, especially at night, they look good enough that guests comment on it. A couple of people actually asked if it was gas the first time they saw it, which tells you the illusion is good enough for casual use.

The heater part is there, but if you’re expecting it to replace your main heat, that’s not going to happen. It’s more of a supplemental heater that takes the edge off in a 300–400 sq ft room. Think of it as a space heater that happens to look way nicer and is stuck in your wall. For my living room, it adds a bit of warmth and a lot of visual comfort, which is what I really bought it for.

Overall, this is one of those products that does what it says if your expectations are realistic. You get a modern-looking feature wall, some decent ambient heat, and a remote that’s slightly annoying but usable. It’s not perfect, but for the price and the size, I’d say it gets the job done pretty well.

Price-wise, the PuraFlame Alice 60" sits in that middle zone: not the cheapest electric fireplace on Amazon, but well below the high-end designer brands. For what you pay, you get a full-width 60-inch unit, decent flame realism, a usable heater, and a proper recessed installation that looks built-in. Compared to some cheaper wall-hung units I’ve seen in person, this one definitely looks more “real” and less plastic, which matters if it’s going in a main living area.

The value really depends on what you care about. If all you want is heat, you could buy a basic space heater for a fraction of the price and be warmer. But if you want the visual effect plus some heat and a cleaner wall look, then this makes more sense. You’re paying for aesthetics and integration into your room as much as the BTUs. For that use case, I think it’s fairly priced. It feels like you’re getting your money’s worth in size and features, not like you’re being ripped off for a tiny unit.

On the downside, there’s no smart-home integration, no Wi-Fi, no app, nothing fancy. It’s old-school remote control and buttons on the glass. If you’re into automating everything with Alexa or Home Assistant, this will feel a bit basic. Also, if you don’t already have a project going, the install cost (materials, maybe electrician, maybe carpenter) can add a chunk to the total. So the true cost isn’t just the fireplace; it’s the whole wall setup.

For me, looking at what it did for the room, I’d say the value is pretty solid. The wall went from plain to “finished feature” with one product, and guests notice it right away. There are better units out there if you’re willing to pay a lot more, and there are cheaper ones that look and feel more like a toy. This one sits in a nice middle ground: not perfect, but good enough that I don’t feel like I overpaid.

The design is very much “modern TV wall” territory. It’s a long, slim black rectangle with a full glass front. No fake mantel, no trim, just flush glass that sits against your wall finish. I went with stacked stone around it and it fits that contemporary look nicely. The black metal frame behind the glass disappears once installed, so what you really see is just a black window with flames and either logs or crystals.

One thing I really like: the touch controls on the glass are backlit but turn off after a few seconds. So you’re not stuck looking at glowing icons all night. You hit the button, adjust what you want, and then the lights fade out and you’re just left with the flame. It sounds like a small detail, but it makes a difference if you’re using it in a TV/media room and don’t want extra light pollution in your face.

The unit gives you two looks for the ember bed: traditional logs or a more minimal crystal bed. The logs are decent, not high-end museum quality, but they look fine once the lights are down. The crystals give it more of a modern gas fireplace vibe. I ended up mixing them a bit—logs in the back, crystals in front to catch more of the LED light. It actually helps sell the “glowing embers” effect without feeling too fake.

Flame colors are adjustable: you get combinations of yellow and blue, with different brightness levels. I mostly stick to the yellow or yellow+blue mix, because all-blue looks pretty artificial in a home setting. Still, it’s nice to have options, especially if you’re using the crystal bed and want a more playful look. The only design downside for me is the visible heater vent along the upper front. It’s functional and not ugly, but you’re not going to mistake this for a real wood fireplace. From a design standpoint, though, for a recessed electric unit in this price bracket, it looks clean and intentional, not like an afterthought.

The unit itself feels pretty sturdy. The metal chassis isn’t flimsy, and the glass front has some weight to it. Once it’s in the wall, it feels like a built-in appliance, not a wobbly add-on. I’ve taken the glass off a couple of times to rearrange the logs and crystals, and the mounting screws and brackets still feel tight and not stripped. Nothing rattles when the fan kicks on, which is a good sign that the internal assembly is reasonably solid.

On the electronics side, you’re dealing with LED lights, a control board, and a fan. LEDs usually last a long time, and so far I haven’t seen any flickering or dead spots in the flame effect. The heater fan has a normal startup sound but doesn’t grind or whine, which is often what fails first on cheap units. One nice thing is that other buyers mention using PuraFlame units for several years without major issues, which lines up with what I’ve seen so far: no sudden failures or weird behavior beyond normal thermostat cycling.

There was one mention from another user about the thermostat acting up and needing a reset. That’s not unusual for this type of product, but it’s something to keep in mind: you’re not buying a lifetime mechanical fireplace here, you’re buying an electric appliance with a control board. A power cycle or reset will probably solve 90% of random glitches. The brand does offer a limited warranty, but as usual, you’ll want to actually register and keep your proof of purchase if you’re cautious.

Overall, I’d say the durability feels decent for a mid-priced electric fireplace. It’s not built like a tank, but it doesn’t feel cheap either. If you treat it as a long-term appliance and not something you move around, and if your power supply is stable, I’d expect several years of use without major headaches. Just don’t expect it to outlast a real masonry fireplace; that’s not the same league.

On the performance side, you’ve got two main things: the flame effect and the heater. The flames use LED lights, and they’re honestly better than I expected. You get four flame modes (yellow/blue mixes and brightness levels), and they move enough to feel like a real fire at a glance. If you sit there analyzing it, of course you can tell it’s a looped pattern, but from across the room it does the job. The fact that you can run the flames with or without heat is key—I use the visual effect way more often than the heater, especially in shoulder seasons.

The heater is rated at 1500W on high and 750W on low, which is standard space-heater territory. It’s front-vented at the top, so it works well with a TV above as long as you follow the clearances. In my roughly 350 sq ft living room, it can raise the temperature a few degrees and keep things comfortable, but it’s not replacing the main furnace. Think of it as a boost on chilly evenings. The fan noise is there, but not crazy loud—about what you’d expect from a decent space heater. When the heat is off, the unit is basically silent.

The built-in thermostat and timer are useful on paper, but don’t expect super precise climate control. It will cycle the heat on and off to keep the general temperature, but it’s not like a high-end HVAC system. I mostly use the timer to shut it off after a couple hours so I don’t forget it on. The remote lets you control flames, heat, and timer without getting up, but it’s IR-based and a bit picky about angle and distance. You need to point it more or less at the sensor; it’s not like a TV remote that works from any weird angle.

In practice, the performance is solid for what this thing is: a decorative electric fireplace with usable supplemental heat. If you buy it mainly for the heat, you’ll be underwhelmed. If you buy it for the look and consider the heat a bonus, you’ll probably be satisfied. It does what it says: adds flame visuals all year round and takes the chill off in a medium-sized room.

This unit is designed for in-wall recessed installation only, and that’s important. You can’t just hang it on the wall like some cheaper electric fireplaces. It’s meant to go into a framed opening, and it’s sized for a 2x6 wall, though people have made it work in 2x4 with some planning. I used standard 2x4 studs and just made sure the cavity depth matched the specs, and it still sat nicely. The manual gives clear cutout dimensions: follow those and maybe give yourself an extra 1/4 inch on each side to allow for adjustment.

The basic steps are: frame an opening, run power (either an outlet inside the cavity or hard-wiring), slide the unit in, secure it with screws, and then finish your wall (drywall, tile, stone, whatever) up to the glass edge. I strongly recommend having an outlet inside the cavity instead of running the cord out somewhere visible. If you’re not comfortable doing electrical work, get an electrician to at least add that outlet. The unit itself just plugs into a standard 110V outlet, so there’s nothing exotic on that front.

In terms of difficulty, if you’re already doing a remodel or building a media wall, it’s pretty straightforward. I framed it, added insulation behind for sound and heat control, ran an outlet, and then slid the fireplace in once the drywall and stone were done. The only slightly annoying part was handling the weight and making sure it sat flush and level. The screws that hold it to the framing can tweak the alignment a bit, so don’t overtighten one side before checking the glass line.

If you’re trying to retrofit this into an existing finished wall, you’ll have more work: cutting drywall, framing in the cavity, patching, and refinishing. It’s doable, but not a quick weekend job for a total beginner. So, installation gets a good score if you’re already doing construction, and an “okay, but be ready to work” if you’re trying to add it to a finished room with no existing opening.

Out of the box, the PuraFlame Alice 60" is a big, heavy metal box with a glass front, a log set, and a bag of crystals. Mine came well packed, with foam around all sides and the glass protected, so no cracks or scratches. You definitely don’t carry this thing alone unless you enjoy back pain; it’s around 60+ pounds and awkward to hold. Two people makes life easier, especially when you’re trying not to knock the corners into your finished drywall.

In terms of accessories, you get the remote, the log set, the crystal media, mounting hardware, and the manual. The manual is actually useful for once: clear diagrams, cutout dimensions, and wiring notes. If you’re at all handy, you can follow it without wanting to throw it away. The remote uses AAA batteries (included), which is basic but fine. No fancy smart app or Wi-Fi stuff here, just old-school IR remote that you have to point at the unit.

The fireplace comes pre-assembled; you’re not building internal parts or anything. You just remove the glass (screws), set up your media (logs or crystals, or both if you want to mix), then put the glass back and slide it into the framed opening. There’s also an option to either plug it into a standard 110V outlet or hard-wire it. I stuck with the plug-in option but had an outlet installed inside the cavity so no cords are visible. If you’re doing a new build or renovation, that’s the way to go.

First impression when it’s powered on: the LEDs are bright, and the flame effect is better than what I expected for this price range. It doesn’t feel like a toy. There’s a bit of fan noise when the heater is on, but visually it looks like a proper built-in feature, not a temporary plug-in unit. So if your goal is to make your living room look more finished or to dress up a media wall, it does that job pretty well.